Northlight Theatre has announced its 44th season, opening with “Curve of Departure” by Rachel Bonds and directed by BJ Jones. The season continues with the world premiere of “Mansfield Park,” Kate Hamill’s new adaptation of the Jane Austen social satire, directed by Stuart Carden, followed by Christina Ham’s “Nina Simone: Four Women,” directed by Kenneth L. Roberson, and the premiere of “Landladies” (previously titled “The Janice”), by Sharyn Rothstein and directed by Jess McLeod. Closing the season is “Into the Breeches!” by George Brant, directed by Jessica Thebus.

In a cramped motel room in New Mexico, a “ragtag little group of humans” gathers in anticipation of the funeral of a man they loved but did not like. But the dearly departed is not their only concern, as they grapple with the demands of ordinary life and the decisions of an uncertain future. Northlight favorite Mike Nussbaum returns as the patriarch of an unconventional family in this delicate and gently comic drama.

MANSFIELD PARK
By Kate Hamill
Based on the novel by Jane Austen
Directed by Stuart Carden
November 8 – December 16, 2018

When shy but clever Fanny Price is sent away by her impoverished parents, she must adapt to life as the poor relation at her aunt and uncle’s wealthy estate. But Fanny soon learns that beneath the glitter of wealth and status, people aren’t always what they seem. Playwright Kate Hamill, known for her acclaimed adaptations of Sense and Sensibility and Vanity Fair, brings her unique sense of playfulness and theatricality to Austen’s classic tale of the clash between love and conscience.

Featuring: Melanie Brezill (Sweet Thing), Sydney Charles (Nina Simone), Deanna Reed Foster (Sarah), and Ariel Richardson (Sephronia). The role of Sam Waymon will be announced at a later date.

In the aftermath of 1963’s 16th Street Baptist Church bombing, Nina Simone rocked the nation with “Four Women,” her tribute in song to the four little girls lost in the tragedy. Powerful anthems such as “Mississippi Goddam,” “Old Jim Crow,” and “To Be Young, Gifted and Black” followed, fueling the Civil Rights movement and transforming her public persona from songstress to activist. Celebrate Ms. Simone’s lasting legacy in this provocative and personal musical journey.

Self-made landlord Marti and her new tenant Christine strike up a complicated relationship in this compelling world premiere. Despite a tentative friendship, neither can afford the luxury of forgetting her own best interests. Faced with impossible dilemmas of fairness versus kindness, honesty or eviction, these two women reveal the vulnerability as well as the ingenuity of people who know the value of having a home, and the threat of losing one.

INTO THE BREECHES!
By George Brant
Directed by Jessica Thebus
May 9 – June 16, 2019

It’s 1942 and with the men off at war, the Oberon Play House is lacking its director and leading men. The season will be canceled… until the director’s wife rallies the troops at home for an all-female production. With the opportunity to move from the sidelines to centerstage, the women forge ahead with a spirit of collaboration, dauntless enthusiasm, and a belief in the power of art to move us forward. This surprisingly modern comedy proves that the show not only must, but will go on.

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